Nov 2 check in

[Matty]

FINALLY saw some deer tonight. Praise the Lord! I think this was my 5th hunt of the season.

 

So far every sit I've done this year has been in a different spot, but the results have been dismal. My post season and pre-season scouting was a lot more limited so I've been scout/hunting on the fly. Finding sign, but not seeing deer.

Tonight I hurried to an area that I had only scouted by bing and topo maps. Immediately I was greeted by some very large rubs. At least my hunch was right...it's a big buck area. So I quietly made my way to an edge of thick stuff and really thick stuff and I set up my climbing sticks and xop hang on stand. I was playing a weird wind that was almost in the deers favor. Most people would have thought I was hunting the wrong wind, but I was pretty sure this was the only wind direction that would put deer on this side of the hill and in this thicket.

 

So by about 3:45 I was settled in quietly.

 

Nothing happened until about 4:50. Suddenly I hear deer walking right at me exactly where I hoped. They froze and I could just see parts of bodies, couldn't tell what. Actually thought it was one deer at first. Then I hear grunting and heavy footsteps off further to the right. The first thing I see is antlers, but I need to get a better look.

 

It get's to about 40yds and I'm second-guessing if it's a shooter. Looked like a nice 8 pointer (I think)...30 yards and I pass a broadside shot. Permit bow can't end this soon can it? No....The buck looks like it should come right in to about 15 yards on the parallel trail it's following.  I'm thinking about shooting if the rack looks really good at 20 yards.

 

Suddenly one of the deer right in front of me gets scared and runs back into the thick bedding cover. The buck turns 90* and follows, grunting the whole way. I start calling with my mouth, first a snort wheeze, then some grunts. 

 

The other deer, now easily seen to be a doe is at about 10 yards from me and nervously walking. I could have shot her, but plenty of light left for buck action. Then I hear and see another body off to my far right again, maybe 40 yards out, I can tell it's a buck but can't tell what. (my eyes are terrible now, time for new glasses I guess)

 

I snort wheeze at it....It rakes a tree then comes right under my tree. Not big enough though...Just a small 7 or 8. He meets up with the doe and they mill off.

 

Now it's starting to get dark and of course here comes another deer. Again, a buck, but light was fading too much to tell how big and definitely couldn't tell where clear shots were in that direction.

 

Once it moved off I climbed down and made my way out. Might try to hit that spot again within the next couple days. 

 

Happy to finally have an exciting hunt though....(excluding the wounded warrior hunt, that was exciting too)

[FLEWTHECOUPE]

Nope didn't cross my mind

I actually thought it was electronic calls

But out of season and I couldn't find anyone In The area

Where it came from.

Attached is a video of the audio lol

It was louder in person.

trim.2B476B16-9B95-4F42-9A2D-EFE79D1D4C26.MOV

[Rusty]

Sounds like a great day in the woods Matty!  

[Ms Grit]

It's afternoons like that Matty and the potential that they hold that keeps us going back

[Redman]

Great hunt Matty, good luck in the next couple of days.